Author: Chi Song

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Next week is National Pro Bono Week!

CPB SmallerOrganized and sponsored by the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Services, this year’s National Pro Bono Week Celebration is October 25th through October 31st! The Law Library is excited to once again participate in National Pro Bono Week, which recognizes and promotes pro bono at both the national and local levels.

The Law Library’s promotion of pro bono and public services is ongoing. Here’s a brief overview of the ongoing programs and clinics at the Law Library that provide FREE legal services to the public!

ASK A LAWYER IN THE LIBRARY

  • Civil, non-family law matters
  • Participants can speak with a volunteer attorney for up to 20 minutes.
  • Sign-up is via lottery
  • Weekly at the Law Library (Wednesdays, from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sign-up at 10:45 a.m.)
  • Monthly at the Glen Burnie Regional Library (Every third Wednesday, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Sign-up at 4:15 p.m.)

FORECLOSURE CLINIC

  • Talk to a volunteer attorney about foreclosure matters
  • Participants cannot be currently represented by an attorney on their foreclosure matter.
  • Sign-up is first-come, first-served
  • Monthly at the Law Library – Upcoming Dates are as follows:
    • November 18, 2015, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
    • December 16, 2015, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  • Sign-up at the Law Library’s service desk

BANKRUPTCY CLINIC

  • Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Class with an experienced bankruptcy attorney
  • Class materials include a manual and forms, and the attorney will review the forms completed at the class.
  • Generally, registration is required.
  • Various dates/times at the Law Library TBD
  • Dates/Times for clinics at other locations are available here.

To read more about the Law Library’s past celebrations of National Pro Bono Week, check out our blog posts from the 2014 celebration! For more information about the National Pro Bono Celebration, including background, events, resources and news, please visit http://www.probono.net/celebrateprobono/.

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Foreclosure Clinic Wrap-Up

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Susan Mays and Diane Wessel

Last week, on October 14, 2015, the Law Library hosted its fourth monthly Foreclosure Clinic! Thank you Susan Mays, Diane Wessel, Lonni Summers and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) for providing this much-needed service to Maryland’s self-represented litigants. Two people met with Susan and Diane to discuss their ongoing foreclosure matters. In addition, the Law Library assisted two people who arrived before the clinic began and who could not stay to attend the program. For those two participants, the Law Library provided referrals to the Foreclosure Mediation Brief Advice Project (see information below) and access to online materials.

The next clinic date is scheduled for Wednesday, November 18, 2015 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Individuals are served on a first-come, first-served basis, and these consultations are usually twenty minutes. Please sign up, in-person, at the Law Library’s service desk on November 18, 2015.

We recommend that you prepare for your meeting with the attorney. Here are a few suggestions.

  • Bring all your paperwork or other information related to the foreclosure.
  • Write a list of specific questions.Organize your paperwork from most recent on top to oldest on bottom.
  • Write a list of specific questions.
  • Prepare a timeline of your matter, including any deadlines.

If you need assistance prior to November 18, 2015, check out these resources.

  • Civil Justice – Civil Justice provides Marylanders with foreclosure assistance. Check out their website or call them at 410-706-0174 for more information.
  • Foreclosure Mediation Brief Advice Project – This is a free clinic open to homeowners facing foreclosure without legal representation. To speak with an attorney, you can CALL THE HELPLINE at (443) 808-0076 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:30am-12:00pm and 2:00pm-4:00pm. You can also WALK-IN on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:00am-4:30pm (no new intake after 4:00pm) at the Office of Administrative Hearings, Administrative Law Building, 11101 Gilroy Rd, Hunt Valley, Maryland 21031. For more information, check out our blog post.
  • Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) – MVLS may be able to represent you in your foreclosure matter. Call MVLS at 410-547-6537 for more information.

You can find a list of additional assistance resources at the People’s Law Library.

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Ask a Lawyer In the Library: Wednesday Wrap-up

photo 1 (3)
Chris Boucher

The Ask A Lawyer In The Library program is a civil, non-family law, self-help program sponsored by The Anne Arundel Bar Association and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service. Every Wednesday, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., you can talk with a volunteer attorney for up to 20 minutes. No appointment is necessary, but sign-up is required at the law library’s information desk. Sign-up begins at 10:45 a.m., and time slots are determined by a lottery. For more information, please see http://circuitcourt.org/legal-help/lawyer-in-the-library.

On Wednesday, October 14, 2015, the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program. Thank you Chris Boucher for volunteering and providing this service to the public. Six people were able to meet with the attorney to discuss issues related to foreclosure, personal injury, civil procedure, employment, expungement, and vehicle title/mandamus.

Do you need help with a District Court matter such as landlord/tenant, small claims (less than $5,000), consumer matters, or return of property (replevin and detinue)? The District Court Self-Help Resource Center provides limited legal services for people who are not represented by an attorney. Services are provided in-person (in Glen Burnie and Upper Marlboro), on the phone and with live chat. More information is available at http://www.courts.state.md.us/legalhelp/districtctselfhelpctr.html

Don’t forget, the Law Library is always available to provide reference and referral services during the Library’s hours of operation. Please contact us!

More information about the program is available at http://circuitcourt.org/legal-help/lawyer-in-the-library. The Ask A Lawyer In The Law Library program is a limited legal advice service. The program is not a substitute for representation. If you need an attorney to represent you, you can contact the Anne Arundel Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral and Information Service.

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Holiday

Court Holiday

The Law Library is closed Monday, October 13, 2015, as today is a Court Holiday.  The Law Library will reopen on Tuesday, October 14, 2015.  A list of Court Holidays is available on the Circuit Court’s website at http://www.circuitcourt.org/court-holidays.

Except on Court Holidays, the Law Library is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We are located in Suite 303 on the third floor (main floor) of the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court at 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, Maryland. If you cannot make it to the library in person, you can always reach us via email at lawlibrary@aacounty.org, via phone at (410) 222-1387 or via fax at (410) 268-9762.

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Ask A Lawyer In the Library – Wednesday Wrap-Up

Richard Ronay
Richard Ronay is standing next to our flowers!

The Ask A Lawyer In The Library program is a civil, non-family law, self-help program sponsored by The Anne Arundel Bar Association and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service. Every Wednesday, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., you can talk with a volunteer attorney for up to 20 minutes. No appointment is necessary, but sign-up is required at the law library’s information desk. Sign-up begins at 10:45 a.m., and time slots are determined by a lottery. For more information, please see http://circuitcourt.org/legal-help/lawyer-in-the-library.

On Wednesday, September 30, 2015, the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program. Richard Ronay of the Law Office of J. Richard Ronay, our volunteer attorney, assisted six people with issues such as contracts, estate planning, and employment discrimination. The next program date is Wednesday, October 2, 2015.

As the program is set-up to accommodate only 6 twenty-minute sessions, two people were unable to meet with the attorney to discuss their questions and issues. However, the Law Library is always available to provide legal reference and referral services. Utilizing library resources, including the library’s wiki site, we were able to provide one person with information and resources on how to get a title to his car (Mandamus – Vehicle Title). In addition, we provided information and referrals to a woman seeking assistance on her foreclosure matter, including contact information for the MVLS Foreclosure Brief Advice Helpline (see information below), which was able to provide her with the assistance she was looking for. She was so happy with this service, that she bought the Law Library flowers!

Are you looking for assistance with your foreclosure matter? Foreclosure Brief Legal Advice, a  project sponsored by Civil Justice and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, provides FREE brief consultations for homeowners facing foreclosure. This program is for homeowners who do not have an attorney. The program’s attorneys can answer questions about your foreclosure, foreclosure mediation, and court documents. However, the attorneys CANNOT represent you in court or at your mediation. To speak with an attorney, you can CALL THE HELPLINE at (443) 808-0076 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:30am-12:00pm and 2:00pm-4:00pm. You can also WALK-IN on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:00am-4:30pm (no new intake after 4:00pm) at the Office of Administrative Hearings, Administrative Law Building, 11101 Gilroy Rd, Hunt Valley, Maryland 21031. For more information, check out our blog post.

More information about Ask a Lawyer in the Library program is available at http://circuitcourt.org/legal-help/lawyer-in-the-library. The Ask A Lawyer In The Law Library program is a limited legal advice service. The program is not a substitute for representation. If you need an attorney to represent you, you can contact the Anne Arundel Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral and Information Service.

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Holiday

South Asian American Heritage Day

Pursuant to Senate Bill 422 (Chapter 169) and House Bill 746 (Chapter 170), which were passed during the 2015 Legislative Session and effective yesterday, the Governor of Maryland must annually proclaim October 2nd as South Asian American Heritage Day. You can learn more about this new law, including its legislative history, here. Also, check out the Governor’s Commission on South Asian Affairs to learn more about South Asian American Heritage Day.

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lawlibrary Maryland Law

New Maryland Laws Took Effect on October 1, 2015 – Can’t Find What You’re Looking For?

Untitled drawingNew Maryland laws took effect yesterday, October 1, 2015! We published a series of posts highlighting a few of the newly enacted laws, but this is just a small sampling of the new laws enacted by the 2015 Legislative Session. A full listing of new laws is available here, courtesy of the Department of Legislative Services (DLS) of the General Assembly of Maryland.

Was there a major issue from the 2015 session that was not covered in this series? The 90 Day Report – A Review of the 2015 Session, published by DLS, includes a hyperlinked list of Major Issues from 2015 such as the budget, education, public safety (body-worn cameras), taxes and voting rights. In addition, we previously covered some changes to family law here, which are effective today.

Can’t find what you’re looking for?  DLS publishes a Popular Terms List as a reference for current legislation that is often referred to by the public and media by certain popular terms.  Also, the Department of Legislative Services of the General Assembly of Maryland publishes compilations of executive orders.

Do you prefer paper sources?  The Law Library’s collection includes a copy of the 2015 Maryland Legislative Review Service, published by LexisNexis, which summarizes the 2015 Acts of the Maryland General Assembly Regular Session and organizes the 2015 Acts by topical headings. In addition, the Law Library’s Maryland collection includes print copies of the current Annotated Code of Maryland.

Don’t forget – the Law Library is here if you have questions or would like additional information. Contact us!

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lawlibrary Maryland Law

New Maryland Laws Take Effect on October 1, 2015 – Spotlight on Protective Orders

New Maryland laws take effect on October 1, 2015!  We will be publishing a series of posts highlighting a few of the newly enacted laws.  This series is just a small sampling of the new laws enacted by the 2015 Legislative Session.  To read about more laws resulting from the 2015 session, see the 90 Day Report – A Review of the 2015 Session published by the Department of Legislative Services (DLS) of the General Assembly of Maryland. For a full listing of new laws effective October 1, 2015, check out this publication from DLS.

House Bill 263 (Chapter 233) – The circumstances under which a court must issue a permanent final protective order now includes, under certain specified circumstances, the conviction of the individual for conspiracy or solicitation to commit murder. You can learn more about this new law, including its legislative history, here.

House Bill 390 (Chapter 418) – A person is authorized to file a protective order petition if the alleged abuse occurred in Maryland or if the person eligible for relief is a Maryland resident. Authorization to file a peace order petition is provided if the alleged specified act occurred in Maryland or the petitioner is a Maryland resident. You can learn more about this new law, including its legislative history, here.

Note that all quotations, unless noted otherwise, are attributable to the 90 Day Report – A Review of the 2015 Session published by the Department of Legislative Services of the General Assembly of Maryland, which is available online at http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Pubs/LegisLegal/2015rs-90-day-report.pdf.

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lawlibrary Maryland Law

New Maryland Laws Take Effect on October 1, 2015 – Spotlight on the Election Administration

Untitled drawing (1)New Maryland laws take effect on October 1, 2015!  We will be publishing a series of posts highlighting a few of the newly enacted laws.  This series is just a small sampling of the new laws enacted by the 2015 Legislative Session.  To read about more laws resulting from the 2015 session, see the 90 Day Report – A Review of the 2015 Session published by the Department of Legislative Services (DLS) of the General Assembly of Maryland. For a full listing of new laws effective October 1, 2015, check out this publication from DLS.

Senate Bill 204 (Chapter 332)/ House Bill 396  – The date of the presidential primary election is now the fourth Tuesday in April, which would avoid the need to conduct the 2016 early voting on Easter Sunday. In addition, there are changes to various administrative procedures and deadlines as well as the elimination of the requirement for “certain campaign finance entities to file a campaign finance report on the third Tuesday in April in a presidential election year.” You can learn more about this new law, including its legislative history, here.

House Bill 284 (Chapter 82) – An election director of the local board of elections must, within 10 business days, “determine whether a summary of local legislation contained in a petition is legally sufficient” prior to circulating the petition for signatures. The intent is to prevent situations where signatures on a petition must be discarded due to a determination, after the collection of signatures, that the summary of local legislation was not legally sufficient. You can learn more about this new law, including its legislative history, here.

Senate Bill 5 (Chapter 318) – The canvass of votes cast during early voting must be open to public observation, and “a board of canvassers and the staff of a local board may be observed as they complete each part of the canvass by certain authorized observers and any other individuals who wish to be present.” You can learn more about this new law, including its legislative history, here.

Note that all quotations, unless noted otherwise, are attributable to the 90 Day Report – A Review of the 2015 Session published by the Department of Legislative Services of the General Assembly of Maryland, which is available online at http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Pubs/LegisLegal/2015rs-90-day-report.pdf.

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lawlibrary Maryland Law

New Maryland Laws Take Effect on October 1, 2015 – Spotlight on Marijuana and Marijuana Paraphernalia

New Maryland laws take effect on October 1, 2015!  We will be publishing a series of posts highlighting a few of the newly enacted laws.  This series is just a small sampling of the new laws enacted by the 2015 Legislative Session.  To read about more laws resulting from the 2015 session, see the 90 Day Report – A Review of the 2015 Session published by the Department of Legislative Services (DLS) of the General Assembly of Maryland. For a full listing of new laws effective October 1, 2015, check out this publication from DLS.

Senate Bill 456 (Chapter 351) – A court must “dismiss a criminal charge, in a prosecution for possession of marijuana or for possession of paraphernalia related to marijuana, if the court finds that a person used or possessed marijuana or marijuana paraphernalia because of a medical necessity.” You can learn more about this new law, including its legislative history, here.

Don’t forget, bills that are passed by the Maryland General Assembly do not always become Maryland Law. For example, Senate Bill 517, which calls for, among other things, the repeal of “the criminal prohibition on possession of marijuana-related paraphernalia and eliminates any penalty”, was vetoed by the Governor on policy grounds. Since this veto occurred after the Maryland Legislature adjourned, an override vote will not occur until the next legislative session commences. To learn more about the Maryland legislative process, check out this blog post on statutes.

In addition, the 2014 Legislative Session made changes to Maryland laws related to marijuana. Check out our 2014 post to learn more!
Note that all quotations, unless noted otherwise, are attributable to the 90 Day Report – A Review of the 2015 Session published by the Department of Legislative Services of the General Assembly of Maryland, which is available online at http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Pubs/LegisLegal/2015rs-90-day-report.pdf.